mike merrifield
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‘Weird year’ so far at Capitol: Protest politics and open-minded cooperation
The legislative session in Colorado has been running for a month. Donald Trump has been president for three weeks. The national political tumult that has marked the early days of the administration has resulted in a stream of public protest in the state and angry exchanges at the Capitol. Three weekends ago, the day after…
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Colorado Senate GOP leaders quickly, quietly dispatch resolution asking Trump to lift immigration order
State Senate Republican leaders Tuesday sent hot-button Colorado Joint Resolution 1013 to die quickly and quietly in a sparsely attended State Affairs committee hearing. The resolution asked President Trump to lift his order banning refugees and immigrants from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States – the controversial order presently stayed, its constitutionality and…
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Neville campus free speech bill wins surprise unanimous committee support
The debate over student free speech, campus safe zones and political correctness moved into the Colorado Capitol on Thursday and took a surprise turn when three Democrats joined with four Republicans on the Senate education committee to unanimously advance a campus free speech bill sponsored by arch conservative-libertarian Sen. Tim Neville. “Elected officials have a…
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Colorado senators optimistic for 2017 legislative session, but prepared for Washington-induced spiral
In Colorado’s upper legislative chamber everything is different and everything has stayed the same. For years, Democrats have held the reins of power at the Capitol, and Republicans have exerted what influence they could by acting as the loyal opposition – mainly by blocking bills and offering alternative policy narratives. Most observers expect that arrangement…
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Sanders fundraising appeal swells Salazar campaign coffers
In the roughly 24 hours after Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders sent a fundraising appeal for state Rep. Joe Salazar and a handful of other legislative candidates across the country, the Thornton Democrat raked in more than $50,000 in donations – and the funds were continuing to pour in at a rate of about $1,000…
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Big ‘End of Life Options’ debate halted by election year politics
The strategy behind this year’s end-of-life physician assisted suicide bill was to get as many people as possible talking about it and to keep them talking about it as long as possible. Which is why it came as a shock to many at the Capitol Wednesday that the sponsors of House Bill 1054, Reps. Lois…
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The Hot Sheet, February 24, 2016
By TCS Publisher and Editor in Chief Jared Wright _@JaredWright_ Wednesday, February 24, 2016 DENVER – Happy Wednesday from all of us here at The Colorado Statesman. Here’s to a smooth initial approach into the weekend. May your landing have very little turbulence. “Winning, winning, winning!” — Donald Trump (and I think also, Charlie Sheen) Now your substrata feed…
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The Hot Sheet, February 23, 2016
By TCS Publisher and Editor in Chief Jared Wright _@JaredWright_ Tuesday, February 23, 2016 DENVER – Good morning, and welcome to The Hot Sheet, Colorado’s premier daily political newsletter. We are now exactly one week away from Super Tuesday (what?! you say … yep, February – the short-straw month, remember?), and today the Republican presidential candidates will square off in…
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Rep. Salazar endorses Sanders: ‘Of course Bernie can be elected’
State Rep. Joe Salazar is feelin’ the Bern. Along with two fellow liberal lawmakers and more than a dozen activists and former elected officials from around the state, the Thornton Democrat plans to formally endorse Bernie Sanders Tuesday morning at the state Capitol, a week before the Vermont senator faces off against Hillary Clinton in…